Do You Like People Noticing you?
By Maggs
@maggs224 (2320)
Alicante, Spain
November 25, 2015 8:25am CST
I was on @jaboUK post Dancing Past and Present and in one of the comments @boiboing said
"I've never been one for dancing. I lack an exhibitionist streak." This comment triggered this post.
When I was a teenager I could do most of the Come Dancing type of dances Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep etc. I could do them well enough to dance around a ballroom without drawing any attention to myself.
My uncle and aunt loved dancing and would take part in Ballroom Dancing competitions. Their style like most competitive dancers was much more flamboyant than mine. Of course when they danced together they stood out from the ordinary dancers.
My uncle would sometimes come over and ask me to dance with him. I am not sure why as I was no great shakes at dancing. My uncle was over 6ft tall and his strides were long.
I use to dread dancing with him as I had a lot of trouble keeping up with him. I knew the minute we hit the dance floor all eyes would be on us. But not necessarily for the same reasons as when he danced with my aunt.
My uncle and aunt loved people watching them as they danced, but I did not like to be the centre of attention on the dance floor.
Is there anything that you do well that you enjoy being in the limelight while you are doing it? Or are you more like me and shy away from the limelight.
Notice in the photo I am smoking a cigarette lol... It is a sign of those times
29 people like this
24 responses
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
25 Nov 15
I think the difference might be that when you were learning to dance there were 'proper' dances. When I was, we were just shaking it about all over the place and there were no real steps to learn or follow. So if you made a fool of yourself you felt really silly. It was that or just shuffle from foot to foot and vaguely wave your arms about. These days people seem to be so stoned that they don't know or care what they are doing. So I fall between the 'rules to follow' and the 'totally no inhibitions' eras. A hard place to be.
7 people like this
@maggs224 (2320)
• Alicante, Spain
26 Nov 15
@JudyEv Now this pair are real head turners, what an awesome way to travel. I hope my friends @jaboUK and @crazyhorseladycx come back to this post as I know that they would love this photograph. They are really lovely looking ponies. I am not very up on horses, so this may be dumb sounding but what is the difference between a horse and a pony? Is it a matter of age or size or is it to do with the breed?
4 people like this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Nov 15
@maggs224 It's to do with the height. In Australia, ponies are usually classified as 14 hands or less (a hand is four inches). Height is measured at the highest point at the wither (just in front of where the saddle goes). I think in the UK ponies are under 14.2hh. Then it gets a bit complicated as you can have miniature ponies and miniature horses. The latter are much more slender and finely built and do look like miniature horses whereas miniature ponies are usually of a Shetland pony build. But very young equines are foals, never ponies. Here endeth the lesson. 
4 people like this
@much2say (55607)
• Los Angeles, California
25 Nov 15
What a cute photo! I must admit - when it comes to dance, I DO love the attention. Perhaps this is why I loved figure skating and being out there in front of an audience with all eyes on me - ha ha! If I'm going to get that kind of attention, you bet I'm going to shake my stuff to make sure it's worth everyone's while - ha ha!
4 people like this
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
25 Nov 15
I used to really enjoy dancing and enjoyed the attention I got from being good at it. Now that I am older I don't want anyone's eyes on me, it makes me uncomfortable.
4 people like this
@maggs224 (2320)
• Alicante, Spain
25 Nov 15
@LovingMyBabies I know what you mean it is funny how we change as we get older, what we loved at one age now makes us uncomfortable.
4 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21852)
• Canada
25 Nov 15
I don't have to be in the lime light. I'm happy when around friends or by myself. I'm sure I was a sight in the 60's dancing but I don't do that anymore. I've always been an extrovert but never an exhibitionist. (Not afraid to stand out but don't need to be out standing.)
5 people like this
@maggs224 (2320)
• Alicante, Spain
25 Nov 15
@PainsOnSlate The best I have ever managed at dancing is just enough not to get noticed Marilyn lol... Though that went out the window a bit when Sue @sueznewz2 and I took up line dancing
4 people like this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
25 Nov 15
I was a Go-Go Dancer back in the 70's & 80's @maggs224 . So yeah, I liked the attention. I was also a comedian, which I enjoyed more because I liked making people laugh.
4 people like this
@maggs224 (2320)
• Alicante, Spain
26 Nov 15
@nanette64 I was more like an Oh-No dancer so I would not have got the same kind of attention that you did Nanette lol... I think that being a comedian must have been real fun, and I can understand why you like making people laugh. I think my line dancing made a few people laugh though that was not my intention at the time :D
3 people like this
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
26 Nov 15
I can see you in my mind dancing up a storm, Anja @Rollo1.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
25 Nov 15
I had my own two hour radio show for about 18 months plus there's my stand up poetry too so yes I enjoy the public attention
3 people like this
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
26 Nov 15
I've done some poetry readings, too. It's funny what a shy person can be made to do.
3 people like this
@maggs224 (2320)
• Alicante, Spain
27 Nov 15
@arthurchappell That is so cool Arthur, do you have anything on Youtube of you doing your stand up poetry reading? I would love to hear you doing that :D
1 person likes this
@maggs224 (2320)
• Alicante, Spain
27 Nov 15
@Sheilamarie78 I think that when we have something already prepared like a song, a poem or a play then it is easier to stand up in front of people.
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
25 Nov 15
I have two left feet and anti talent
3 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
28 Nov 15
@maggs224 Perhaps,,, I used to dream I could dance, so pretty
1 person likes this
@maggs224 (2320)
• Alicante, Spain
28 Nov 15
@Jessicalynnt Now if you are talking in dreamland I am awesome not only can I dance and sing I can fly and write lol...
1 person likes this
@maggs224 (2320)
• Alicante, Spain
27 Nov 15
@Jessicalynnt But from what I have already seen you more than make up for that in other areas lol...
1 person likes this
@IreneVincent (15962)
• United States
25 Nov 15
My husband and I met ON the dance floor. We loved to dance and most people when they saw us dance, thought we were professionals.
I do have a question for you. How do you post a photo on this site? I would love to know how to do that and I don't see any instructions anywhere about it.
3 people like this
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
26 Nov 15
@maggs224 Thanks, Maggs, for those instructions. It's helpful.
1 person likes this
@IreneVincent (15962)
• United States
25 Nov 15
@maggs224 OK thanks. I will try it. I haven't seen the "add image" box so I will look for it now. OH! I do see it. Thanks so much. I'll give it a try.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Nov 15
@maggs224 Good instructions @IreneVincent Isn't it easy to miss some of the boxes and instructions? I've often said 'I can't find that' or 'I don't have that on my page' and it's right there in front of me.
1 person likes this
@deaaborfa (63)
• Abuja, Nigeria
25 Nov 15
Am not that shy kind of person and am always bold and confident to do whatever I love doing,am a marketer and I am not shy to face anyone or talk to anyone in the cause of discharging my duty and I belief being shy won't make me express myself the way I want to that is why I would never be shy doing anything
3 people like this
@maggs224 (2320)
• Alicante, Spain
25 Nov 15
@deaaborfa I like your confident approach to life :D
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94914)
• United States
26 Nov 15
I don't like being center of attention and especially dancing! No thank you! :)
2 people like this
@maggs224 (2320)
• Alicante, Spain
27 Nov 15
@infatuatedbby When it comes to dancing then I am with you, I would rather not be in the centre of attention :D
I am too , in my 20's until my 30's . Though , i am also for the modern dancing , swings and cha cha . Other than that , i don't know how to anymore . 
@slund2041 (3314)
• United States
26 Nov 15
I am not the type of person who ever wants to be in the limelight. I do not do anything well enough for one things, and I am such a private person.
1 person likes this
@slund2041 (3314)
• United States
27 Nov 15
@maggs224 I think people who need to be in the limelight are not comfortable with themselves.
1 person likes this
@maggs224 (2320)
• Alicante, Spain
28 Nov 15
@slund2041 I think that it is a good thing that we are not all the same. I am sure that there are some folks who like the limelight that are comfortable with themselves :D
1 person likes this
@maggs224 (2320)
• Alicante, Spain
27 Nov 15
@slund2041 Many of us have managed to thrive without being in the limelight lol...
1 person likes this
